PARK TOWNSHIP, MI – West Ottawa Public Schools disputed allegations that former high-school teacher Susan Brennan was fired because her brief stint as a stripper came to light.

The school district, in court documents filed Friday, Nov. 2, said she was fired for poor performance.

“Among other things, her attendance was abysmal, her lesson plans were inadequate, her classroom was chaotic and disorganized, she failed to return student work in a timely manner, she lost student work, she brought her personal problems into the classroom, and she fell behind other classes in the common curriculum.”

“Most importantly, (Brennan) falsified student grades,” the school district wrote in a joint status report filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

The school district, represented by attorney Catherine Tracey, also said that her claims of gender and disability discrimination and retaliation should be dismissed because the statute of limitations expired.

The claims also have no merit, the school district said.

“The district is not required to excuse (Brennan’s) poor performance and misconduct, even if it was caused by her disability (which it was not) and the district did not deny plaintiff any reasonable accommodation of any disability.”

Brennan, a teacher since 2000, said the school district tried to fire her after finding out in 2006 that she once worked as an exotic dancer. She said the union opposition prevented her firing, but the district harassed her in an effort to get her to resign.

Brennan, represented by attorney Richard Meier, said the district prevented her from using a computer program that helped her organize her work. She said the computer program was an accommodation for her disability that affects organizational skills.

Brennan, a mother of three, said her ex-husband’s girlfriend told the district that she had worked as an exotic dancer before she became a teacher.

Brehnna has said she only worked as a stripper briefly when she and her then-husband were in danger of losing their Grand Rapids home.